The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
A typical motor vehicle has numerous injection molded parts, ranging from large body panels to decorative interior trim. These parts are formed by forcing or injecting a viscous material, such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer, into a mold or cavity having the desired shape of the part. Thermoplastics are generally injected under elevated temperatures while thermosets are generally comprised of two different chemical components that crosslink and cure within the mold. The mold itself may take any number of shapes and forms and have multiple cavities.
Machined components, insert molding films, or other pre-molded components may be inserted into the mold to allow the material injected into the mold to solidify around the component to create the injection molded parts. Additional materials, such as clear coatings, may then be molded onto the part in subsequent injection molding operations. The insert molding operation is especially useful in creating decorative interior trim parts that have attractive designs, high quality surface finishes, depth of image, and distinctness.
However, the dimensions and complexity of the injection molded part are limited by the inclusion of the insert film or decorative layer. These films are heat treated to curve or bend the film before placement in the mold. However, the film is limited in depth, measured from a top of the film to the bent edges, to approximately 10 mm. Thus, in order to hide the transition of the film to the injected material, the injection molded part is limited in depth to the edge of the film. While these injection molded parts are useful for their intended purpose, there is a need in the art for more complex injection molded part designs that are not limited to the depth of the film and which have desirable aesthetic and design features.